A coup attempt against President Félix Tshisekedi’s government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been foiled, resulting in three deaths.

Latvia could make the use of deepfakes in political campaigns illegal. President Edgars Rinkēvičs has proposed a law that would make the use of deepfake technology to spread false information about political candidates a criminal offense, punishable by up to five years in prison. This proposal reflects growing concerns that such technology is being weaponised to undermine democratic processes. In a proposed amendment to the Criminal Law, Rinkēvičs wrote, “Deliberately producing or disseminating false discrediting information about candidates for the position of the highest state officials in connection with the process of election, appointment or confirmation of these officials, using…

As the world moves away from fossil fuels, ISS Africa examines how Africa can transition to cleaner energies whilst dealing with increases in energy demand as the continent continues to experience rapid population growth. While other regions are transitioning to renewables, ISS Africa’s modelling, which we are republishing with their permission, shows that the continent is likely to struggle to meet its energy demands whilst making the difficult switch away from fossil fuels. Nuclear, ISS Africa argues, poses the most reliable and feasible solution for the continent. Africa’s large base-load energy demand will require a substantial investment in nuclear. In…

Russia is too scared to deploy its “cutting edge” Armata tank to Ukraine because President Vladimir Putin fears they will all be destroyed, the British Ministry of Defence has claimed. Intelligence chiefs have revealed that the Kremlin fears that its “prestige tank”, known as the T-14, could become an embarrassment to Russia due to “vulnerabilities” exposed cross the country’s tank fleet. Russia has already lost 2,600 tanks, with thousands destroyed in action or abandoned due to mechanical failure, as well as sustaining 450,000 casualties since the war in Ukraine began in 2022. The Armata, which costs between £3m and £7m…

The decision by International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan to seek arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and three leaders of the Hamas organisation has ignited significant international backlash. On Monday, several of Israel’s closest allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria, condemned the legitimacy and timing of Khan’s actions. Netanyahu called the application for arrest warrants a “travesty of justice”. Kahn has created “a twisted and false moral equivalence between the leaders of Israel and the henchmen of Hamas,” Netanyahu said. “This is like creating…

Even before Tehran had formally announced the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, conspiracy theories as to whether foul play was to blame began coming in rapidly. Was Israel’s Mossad, the go-to organisation Iran likes to blame for almost any catastrophe that befalls the Islamic Republic, behind the helicopter crash? Was it the CIA, the same organisation which swept the Shah to power in a coup d’état in 1953? Or was it one of many internal enemies Raisi had managed to accumulate after his years in power?Raisi, after all, had no shortage of enemies both within and outside the regime. He…

While Putin’s main aim of the visit to Xi was to convince Xi, “Look at what the West is doing to you in tariffs and they are trying to cut off your market – it is time to accelerate economic warfare and join in with us in this full-blown economic war with the West,” Hess’s impression is that President Xi is “certainly not ready to do so and hasn’t been.”

The United Kingdom and Canada have pledged to strengthen collaboration on Artificial Intelligence (AI) safety, building upon their shared commitment to responsible AI development. The announcement, confirmed by UK Technology Minister Michelle Donelan and Canadian Science and Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, establishes a new partnership between the two countries’ respective AI Safety Institutes (AISIs). Donelan tweeted “The collaboration of AI Safety Institutes is vital to the responsible development of AI and the advancement of science worldwide.” The AI Safety Institute added, “This partnership is a key moment in the development of an international network of AI safety institutes.” Both governments…

The military’s most secretive unit is on a recruitment drive to select more men and women to carry out undercover operations, The Telegraph revealed. The Defence Human Intelligence Unit (DHU), also known as Defence Humint Unit, works closely with the Special Forces. The unit’s role is to obtain “human intelligence” for use by the British Armed Forces by creating a network of civilian agents in war zones, such as in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. The DHU is currently deployed on operations around the world, working with the UK Special Forces, MI5 and friendly foreign nations. But like many specialist organisations within the military, the DHU is…

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held a pivotal meeting in Beijing last week. Xi welcomed Putin with a grand reception, marking the start of what was celebrated as a ‘new era’ of cooperation in an increasingly ‘multipolar world’. This article, republished with permission from the Atlantic Council, features expert analysts examining the potential global implications of this newfound cooperation for the global community. New Atlanticist: May 16, 2024 Experts react: What will Putin and Xi’s ‘new era’ of cooperation mean for the world? By Atlantic Council experts Keep your “friends” close. On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and…

In recent months, violence by insurgents in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province has escalated, highlighted by an ambush on Southern African Development Community (SADC) forces near Macomia, which damaged vehicles but caused no casualties. As the SADC prepares to withdraw in July amid criticisms of its effectiveness, Rwandan and Tanzanian troops have been praised for securing certain areas. Mozambique specialist Dr. Joseph Hanlon believes the $20 billion LNG project by TotalEnergies and the $30 billion project by ExxonMobil will proceed, as these companies trust the Rwandan forces to protect the crucial offshore gas fields and infrastructure. Hanlon noted the effectiveness of the Rwandan and Tanzanian troops compared to the SADC forces, suggesting that the LNG investments will continue despite the insurgency.

In a historic and emotionally charged session, the UN Security Council convened its first ever meeting solely focused on the hostages taken by Hamas terrorists during their attack on Israel on 07 October.  The meeting, initiated by the United States, brought together diplomats, survivors, and families of the captives to highlight the human toll of these abductions and call for the hostages’ immediate release. Shoshan Haran, who was taken hostage along with her daughter and two grandchildren, provided a harrowing account of the psychological impact on her three-year-old granddaughter. “Three weeks after we were released, Yahel only whispers, too afraid…